Town of Grantham, NH 2018 Annual Town Report
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TOWN OF GRANTHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE 2018 ANNUAL REPORT REPORT ANNUAL HAMPSHIRE 2018 OF GRANTHAM, NEW TOWN Grantham Town Meeting Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 5 PM Grantham Town Building, Lower Level 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH Election of Town Officials by ballot; polls open 10 AM—7 PM Grantham School District Election of School Officials Annual Meeting By ballot on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 Grantham Town Building, Lower Level Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at 6:30 PM Grantham Village School Gymnasium 300 Route 10 South, Grantham, NH 75 Learning Drive, Grantham, NH Polls open from 10 AM—7 PM Town of Grantham, NH 2018 Annual Town Report Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 181 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report ~ Publication Notes ~ Cover Photo: In 2018, the Blue Mountain Snow Dusters Snowmobile Club held their first-ever Grantham Sled Dog Race. The event was a huge success, drawing happy mushers, spectators, and dogs from Grantham and beyond again this year (shown in these 2019 photos). Photo courtesy of resident, Sheridan Brown. Dedication written by Kenneth B. Story Printing by RC Brayshaw, West Lebanon, NH TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 2 2 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 3 2018 TOWN REPORT DEDICATION: MAURICE “HAP” RENEY In the early 1960s, Grantham was a small town indeed. Interstate 89 was under construction, but it wouldn’t be complet- ed and open to traffic until a few years later. The Upper Valley was years away from being the commercial hub it has be- come, and the Eastman community was but a gleam in the eye of developer Emil Hanslin. Old Routes 10 and 114 were the main auto roads in town, and their intersection formed the nucleus of what was known as Grantham Village. Fittingly enough, the building located at the village’s exact center, on Route 10 and at the terminus of Route 114 was Reney’s Gen- eral Store. Operated by Eleanor and Maurice “Hap” Reney since 1947, Reney’s Store served a dual role as the only grocery store in town and the town’s social center. Beneath the sign bearing the famous inscription “If we don’t have it, you don’t need it,” old friends greeted each other in the parking lot or at the gas pumps, residents from all over town met here while shop- ping for groceries, hardware and kerosene, and virtually everyone took a few extra minutes to talk to Eleanor and Hap. TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 4 4 Those of us fortunate enough to grow up in the village remember rising on summer mornings, awoken by the sound of the store’s wooden screen door, attached by a metal spring, banging against the door jamb dozens of times per day as customers came and went. More than that, we recall Eleanor’s infectious laugh ringing through the neighborhood as she shared a joke or two. As a kid, there was no better way to wake up on a Sat- urday. For his part, Hap was the generous, kind storekeeper whose robust sense of humor allowed him to tolerate generations of young children running through his store, leaving behind trails of candy wrappers and pop- corn. The youngest child of mill owner Donas Reney, Hap grew up in Grantham. After serving in the Army’s 10th Mountain Division during World War II, Hap returned to take over the store from his aunt. Hap quickly learned the general store trade, including the seasonal nature of the tourist traffic that increasingly defined the economy of New Hampshire. He once said “You’ve got about five months – June through October – to make 90% of the income you’re going to make all year, so you’d better plan ahead.” He and Eleanor did just that, operating a thriving local business until their retirement in the mid-1980s. Eleanor and Hap also served the town in other ways: Eleanor was the town tax collector for 18 years and Hap served as a Selectman for 10 years. Hap also volunteered with the fire department and was among the local residents who helped fight the famous Grantham Mountain fire of 1953. Unfortunately, we lost Eleanor in 2014. And yet, those of us who know and love Hap feel as if we have never completely lost her as long as we can see Hap smile and hear him laugh. Thank you, Hap, for your kindness, your generosity, and for providing all those wonderful memories to so many who lived here and so many kids who grew up here. It would not have been the same without Eleanor, and you, and Reney’s General Store. Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 5 TOWN DEPARTMENT HOURS AND CONTACT INFORMATION SELECTMEN’S OFFICE; 300 Route 10 S; 603-863-6021; fax 603-863-4499 Hours: Monday............................. 8 AM – 4 PM Tuesday............................. 8 AM – 4 PM Wednesday........................ 8 AM – 4 PM Thursday........................... 8 AM – 4 PM Friday................................ 8 AM – 4 PM TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR; PO Box 135; 300 Route 10 S; 603-863-5608; fax 603-863-4499 Hours: Monday............................. 8 AM – 5 PM Tuesday............................. 8 AM – 7 PM Wednesday........................ 8 AM – 7 PM Thursday........................... 8 AM – 5 PM; Closed for lunch from 12 PM – 1 PM Friday................................ 8 AM – 4 PM; Closed for lunch from 12 PM – 1 PM DUNBAR FREE LIBRARY; PO Box 1580; 401 Route 10 S; 603-863-2172 Hours: Monday............................. 9 AM – 7:30 PM Tuesday............................. Closed Wednesday........................ 9 AM – 7:30 PM Thursday........................... 9 AM – 5 PM Friday................................ 8:30 AM – 12 PM Saturday............................ 9 AM – 2 PM FIRE DEPARTMENT; PO Box 80; 251 Route 10 S; 603-863-5710 HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT; 36 Dunbar Hill Road; 603-863-9156; fax 603-863-4499 POLICE DEPARTMENT; PO Box 704; 300 Route 10 S; 603-863-6844; fax 603-863-8152 Non-Emergency 24-Hour Dispatch 603-643-2222; EMERGENCY 911 TOWN ARCHIVES; 34 Dunbar Hill Road; 603-863-9701 Hours: Friday 1 PM – 4 PM TRANSFER STATION; 1150 Route 114; 603-863-9713; fax 603-863-4499 Hours: Sunday.............................. 9 AM – 4 PM Monday............................. 8 AM – 12 PM Tuesday............................. Closed Wednesday........................ Closed Thursday........................... 8 AM – 4 PM Friday................................ 10 AM – 4 PM Saturday............................ 8 AM – 4 PM TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 6 6 ELECTED OFFICIALS BOARD OF SELECTMEN G. Warren Kimball, Chair 2020 Constance A. Jones 2019 Peter H. Garland 2021 TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR Kenneth B. Story 2019 Penelope Palmer, Deputy (Appointed) 2019 TREASURER Maynard Goldman 2020 Donald Noordsy, Deputy (Appointed) 2020 MODERATOR Lorie McClory 2020 CEMETERY TRUSTEES G. Warren Kimball 2020 Christopher Paquette 2019 C. Peter James 2021 LIBRARY TRUSTEES Beverly Marshall, Chair 2019 Nicole Mason 2020 Patricia Beasley 2021 Carl (Tod) Lloyd 2019 Megan Alexander 2021 PLANNING BOARD Carl Hanson, Chair 2019 Peter Guillette, Vice Chair 2021 Mary Hutchins 2019 C. Peter James 2021 Warren Kimball, Selectmen’s Representative & Voting Member 2020 SUPERVISORS OF THE CHECKLIST Donna Stamper 2020 Sandra Noordsy 2022 Suzanne Goldman 2021 TRUSTEES OF THE TRUST FUNDS James Coakley 2020 Robert Fogg 2019 Maria Dahlman 2021 Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 7 TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM COMMITTEE C. Peter James, Planning Board Representative 2021 Ralph Beasley 2019 Raymond Miner 2020 CONSERVATION COMMISSION David Wood, Chair 2020 Susan Buchanan 2020 Richard Hocker 2021 Richard Kaszeta 2021 Laura Nagy 2021 Vacant Dennis Ryan, Alternate 2021 Peter H. Garland – Selectmen’s Representative 2021 ENERGY COMMITTEE Paula Bresnick, Co-Chair 2021 Jeannine Chenevert, Co-Chair 2021 Donald Fitzpatrick 2021 Andy Gelston 2019 Susan Goodwin 2021 Peggy Martineau 2021 Michael Salo 2021 FRIENDS OF THE DUNBAR FREE LIBRARY Susan Wren, President Deborah Chambers, Treasurer Linda Martin, Secretary Marsha Ash Susan Damon Amy Davis Laurie Hanks RECREATION PARK COMMITTEE Shawn Hayward, Chair 2020 Jeremy Bachelder 2020 Mary Ann Sears 2020 Marsha Googins, Athletics Representative Warren Kimball, Selectmen’s Representative TownTown ofof GranthamGrantham——2018 AnnualAnnual Report 8 8 TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES UPPER VALLEY LAKE SUNAPEE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVES Peter Guillette 2020 Lynn Kisselbach, Alternate 2019 Donald Nicholas, TAC Representative Jay Buckey, TAC Alternate Representative ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT Conrad Frey, Chair 2020 Myron Cummings 2020 Peter Guillette 2020 Tanya McIntire 2021 Peter Gardiner, Alternate 2019 Constance Jones, Selectmen’s Representative Town of Grantham—2018 Annual Report 9 BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE The following is a list of regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. Meeting notices are posted on our website calendar at www.granthamnh.net, as well as on the bulletin boards at Grantham Town Hall, 300 Route 10 South, and the Grantham Post Office at 21 Willis Avenue. Boards and Committees that meet on an irregular schedule are not included in this list. Changes to the regular meeting schedule are posted on our website calendar. Board of Selectmen: 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month; 5 PM Conservation Commission: 1st Monday of each month; 7 PM Energy Committee: 1st Monday of each month; 5 PM Library Trustees: Visit their website at www.dunbarlibrary.org Planning Board: 1st Thursday of each month; 7 PM Trustees of the Trust Funds: 2nd Tuesday of each month; 1 PM Zoning Board of Adjustment: 4th Thursday of each month; 7 PM If you are interested in serving on an appointed